This invention relates generally to an outdoor air vent for an air conditioning unit, and specifically to a combination outdoor air filter and positionable door for an air conditioning unit vent system.
This invention will be explained with reference to a packaged terminal air conditioning unit of the type typically found in hotel and motel rooms to provide comfort air to the room. The unit is usually mounted within a rectangular shaped sleeve that is located within an outside wall of the room. The unit includes a wall that divides the unit into an indoor section and an outdoor section. The air in the room is conditioned within the indoor section where it is either heated or cooled, depending upon the mode of operation that is selected. Outside air is drawn into the unit and mixed with the conditioned indoor air through an opening in the divider wall to keep the indoor air fresh.
A filter is typically placed in the divider wall opening to remove contaminants from the outdoor air being brought indoors. The amount of outdoor air passing through the opening is generally controlled by a positionable door that can be set at one of an infinite number of positions between a fully opened position and a fully closed position. Although the outside air system works well in practice, it typically involves a rather large number of inter-related component parts which are difficult to mount in assembly and add to the overall cost of the unit. In addition, the filter must be periodically removed form the unit for cleaning or replacing, however, this generally requires removal of the entire door assembly in order to reach the filter which is a time consuming and oftentimes difficult task.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to improve air conditioning units.
It is a further object of the present invention to better facilitate the cleaning and replacement of the outdoor air filter of an air conditioning unit.
A still further object of the present invention is to reduce the number of component parts needed to filter and control the flow of outside air into the indoor section of a packaged terminal air conditioner.
Another object of the present invention is to reduce the manufacturing and maintenance costs associated with a packaged terminal air conditioner.
These and other objects of the present invention are attained by an air filter unit for use in an air conditioning unit that has a divider wall between the indoor section and the outdoor section of the unit. A filter frame containing an air filter is arranged to enclose the entrance to an air duct that passes through the divider wall. Hinge pins protrude from the top and bottom sections of the frame adjacent to one side edge. The hinge pins are adapted to mate with tabs mounted upon a door so that the door can pivot between a fully open position and a fully closed position against the filter frame. A control lever is mounted on a side wall of the unit beneath the front cover of the unit. The lever can be manually adjusted when the cover is removed to set the position of the door and thus regulate the amount of air passing through the duct.